Topic: Genetics and Heredity

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Resource	Grade Level	Media Type
The Advantage of Sex Why did sex evolve? The likely answers, in this essay for the Evolution Web site by science journalist Matt Ridley, may surprise you.	9-12	HTML Document
All in the Family In this Evolution Web feature, test your skills at judging who's who on the tree of life while you learn about the tools and methods of cladistics.	6-12	Flash Interactive
Alzheimer's Disease This video segment from the Secret of Life School Video: "Genetic Medicine: Tinkering with Our Genes" explores the potential for gene therapy to cure diseases like Alzheimer's.	9-12	QuickTime Video
Animal Body Plans: Homeobox Genes The homeobox genes that define the basic body plan of mice and fruit flies are illustrated in this graphic from The Human Evolution Coloring Book by Adrienne Zihlman. The accompanying article describes how these genes act as "molecular architects" in all animal species.	9-12	PDF Document
Bt Corn This video segment from FRONTLINE/NOVA: "Harvest of Fear" looks at corn that has been genetically modified to resist one insect pest, and the multiple concerns it raises.	9-12	QuickTime Video
Build a Family Tree Both sexes can use this interactive feature that lets you use DNA information from the Y chromosome to complete a male family tree. From the NOVA: "Lost Tribes of Israel" Web site.	9-12	Shockwave Interactive
Cell Division In this interactive activity adapted from the Exploratorium, explore the step-by-step process by which an animal cell divides to make more cells.	7-10	Flash Interactive
Cell Transcription and Translation In this interactive activity adapted from the University of Nebraska, learn how and where transcription and translation occur within a cell and observe both processes in detail.	9-12	Flash Interactive
Chromosome Viewer This interactive feature provides a microscopic view of the 24 Human chromosomes. Each chromosome is labeled with the names of some of the genetic conditions and traits associated with particular regions on that chromosome.	9-12	Flash Interactive
Classical vs. Transgenic Breeding This video segment from FRONTLINE/NOVA: "Harvest of Fear" explains that genetic engineering and classical breeding both alter the genetic makeup of crop plants.	9-12	QuickTime Video
The Common Genetic Code Paul Nurse describes his research that showed that humans share some genes with organisms as different from us as simple brewer's yeast. Footage from Secret of Life: "Immortal Thread."	9-12	QuickTime Video
DNA Databases This video segment from NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" investigates the promises and concerns surrounding the use of DNA databases.	9-12	QuickTime Video
DNA Evidence This audio segment is a National Public Radio story on New York State's DNA profiling of criminals.	9-12	QuickTime Audio
DNA Fingerprint Photos These photographs supplied by Genelex Corporation depict actual DNA fingerprints and show the types of information that can be gleaned from them.	9-12	PDF Document
DNA Makes History Read how DNA was used to solve the mystery of the Romanov family's execution. From Human Genetics: Concepts and Applications by Ricki Lewis.	9-12	PDF Document
DNA on the Witness Stand In this article, Dr. Eric Lander of the Human Genome Project comments on the use of DNA as an identification tool -- the theoretical versus the practical results.	9-12	PDF Document
DNA Workshop How does DNA perform those all-important functions of replication and protein synthesis? This interactive feature from the A Science Odyssey Web site will help you explore and understand the secrets of DNA.	9-12	Shockwave Interactive
Double Immunity Dr. Stephen O'Brien of the National Cancer Institute discovers a 700-year-old mutation that makes a person resistant to HIV infection. From Evolution: "Evolutionary Arms Race."	9-12	QuickTime Video
The Embryo Takes Shape This video segment from NOVA: "Life's Greatest Miracle" explores the developmental process of an embryo beginning just two weeks after fertilization.	9-12	QuickTime Video
Evolution on Double Time This excerpt from Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea by Carl Zimmer describes how gene duplication may have been the key to the rapid evolution of the early stages of life on Earth.	9-12	HTML Document
Evolving Ideas: Did Humans Evolve? This video from Evolution explores the evolution of humans from a common ancestor of humans, chimpanzees, and other apes.	9-12	QuickTime Video
Explore a Stretch of Code Try your hand at reading a segment of genetic code in this interactive feature from the NOVA "Cracking the Code of Life" Web site.	9-12	Shockwave Interactive
A Family Disease This video segment from NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" explores the implications of genetic testing for breast cancer.	9-12	QuickTime Video
Finding Cures Is Hard This video segment from NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" explains the difficulty of curing genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis.	9-12	QuickTime Video
Finding Disease Genes This video segment from NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" explains the process of finding genes that cause disease.	9-12	QuickTime Video
Forensic DNA Analysis This video segment from NOVA: "The Killer's Trail" investigates the potential for DNA evidence to solve murder cases, even those from the distant past.	9-12	QuickTime Video
From DNA to Protein This narrated animation schematically shows the process of protein synthesis. Adapted from Interactive NOVA: "Secret of Life."	9-12	QuickTime Video
Gel Electrophoresis This interactive activity from the Dolan DNA Learning Center illustrates the process of gel electrophoresis, in which DNA fragments are separated by size as they migrate at different rates through a gel matrix.	6-12	Flash Interactive
Gene Control The development of creatures that appear to have nothing in common is directed by a surprisingly small number of genes. In this video segment, learn about the power of master control genes. Footage from The Secret of Life: "Birth, Sex & Death."	6-12	QuickTime Video
Genetic Art Take a peek at the artistic side of science in this virtual exhibit, featuring work by Eva Sutton, Alexis Rockman and Sidney Harris.	9-12	PDF Document
Genetic Drift and the Founder Effect This image of polydactyly illustrates one symptom of Ellis-van Creveld syndrome, which is commonly found in the Amish. Ellis-van Creveld is one example of the founder effect and genetic drift.	9-12	JPEG Image
Geneticist Pardis Sabeti In this video profile adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, learn about geneticist and rock musician Pardis Sabeti, whose innovative insights into natural selection demonstrated how beneficial mutations spread quickly through a population.	6-12	QuickTime Video
Genetic Modification This video segment from NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" looks at the potential created by understanding the human genome.	9-12	QuickTime Video
Genetics Case Studies Wrestle with ethical issues concerning genetic rights and practices from the NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" Web site.	9-12	HTML Document
Genetics: Tour of the Basics In this interactive activity from the University of Utah, identify different kinds of genetic traits and how they are passed on from generation to generation. View examples of simple and complex trait inheritance.	6-12	Flash Interactive
Genetic Therapy and Breast Tumors This video segment from the Secret of Life School Video: "On the Brink: Portraits of Modern Science" explores the genetics of breast cancer.	9-12	QuickTime Video
Genetic Tool Kit The shared set of genes for body segments, possessed by all animals, are discussed in this video segment from Evolution: "Great Transformations."	6-12	QuickTime Video
Genetic Variation This video segment from NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" explores the genetic similarities and differences among organisms.	9-12	QuickTime Video
Genome Facts This list from NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" Web site provides some of the basic, yet impressive, facts and figures about the Human Genome Project.	9-12	HTML Document
Guess What's Coming to Dinner? Browse through a table full of genetically modified (GM) foods to see what's available now and what's to come. From the FRONTLINE/NOVA: "Harvest of Fear" Web site.	9-12	Flash Interactive
HIV Immunity Although repeatedly exposed to HIV, Steve Crohn's blood cells were never infected. Dr. David Ho investigates in this video segment from NOVA: "Surviving AIDS."	9-12	QuickTime Video
How Cancer Grows Follow the growth of a carcinoma from initial mutation to widespread metastasis in this feature from the NOVA: "Cancer Warrior" Web site.	6-12	Flash Interactive
How Cells Divide: Mitosis vs. Meiosis How exactly does meiosis mix and halve chromosomes? Find out through this feature from NOVA: "18 Ways to Make a Baby," which provides a step-by-step, side-by-side comparison of meiosis and mitosis.	6-12	Flash Interactive
How DNA Evidence Works In this article by An Meeker-O'Connell, discover how DNA evidence is processed before it goes to court.	9-12	PDF Document
How DNA Replicates This narrated animation from Interactive NOVA: "The Secret of Life" illustrates DNA replication.	9-12	QuickTime Video
How Genetic Disorders Are Inherited Learn how genetic disorders are passed from parents to children as explained in this excerpt from Blazing a Genetic Trail, from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.	9-12	PDF Document
Human Chromosome 2 In this video segment adapted from NOVA: "Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial," learn how modern genetics and molecular biology offer compelling support for evolution. The video features an interview with biologist Ken Miller.	6-12	QuickTime Video
Human Genome Project This video segment from NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" looks at the meaning and significance of the effort to decode the human genome.	6-12	QuickTime Video
Is Love in Our DNA? Did evolution shape your taste in a mate? Take our interactive poll from Evolution.	9-12	HTML Interactive
Journey into DNA Travel deep into the human body to see exactly where your DNA resides. From the NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" Web site.	6-12	Flash Interactive
Model Organisms This interactive activity from the Dolan DNA Learning Center shows the different types of model organisms used in research and why each might be selected when performing an experiment.	9-12	Flash Interactive
Molecular Level of Genetics Get down to the molecular nitty-gritty of DNA replication and protein synthesis in this article by Dennis O'Neil.	9-12	PDF Document
A Mutation Story This video segment describes the role of the sickle cell gene in natural selection. Footage courtesy of the PBS series Secret of Life: "Accidents of Creation."	6-12	QuickTime Video
Nature vs. Nurture Revisited Which dictates our existence -- our genetic makeup or the environment we grow up in? Kevin Davies offers an update on this long-standing debate, from the NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" Web site.	9-12	HTML Document
One Wrong Letter This video segment from NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" describes the genetics of Tay-Sachs disease.	6-12	QuickTime Video
On Human Cloning Three cloning experts share their opinions in these interviews from the NOVA "18 Ways to Make a Baby." Web site.	9-12	HTML Document
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis This video segment from NOVA: "18 Ways to Make a Baby" describes a technique used to determine the health of a developing embryo.	9-12	QuickTime Video
RNAi Discovered In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, learn how RNAi, a mechanism that has evolved in cells to prevent viral infection, was discovered and how it works.	9-12	QuickTime Video
Sequence for Yourself How do researchers read the tiny As, Gs, Ts, and Cs that comprise DNA? This step-by-step explanation shows you. From NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life."	9-12	Flash Interactive
The Sequencing Race Begins This video segment from NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" looks at one of the key players in the race to decode the human genome.	9-12	QuickTime Video
Should We Create Babies by Design? Should we attempt to control our heredity? Take our poll, developed for the Evolution Web site.	9-12	HTML Interactive
Should We Grow GM Crops? Learn the pros and cons of genetically modified (GM) crops, and cast your vote on whether they should be grown. From the FRONTLINE/NOVA: "Harvest of Fear" Web site.	9-12	HTML Interactive
Stem Cells Breakthrough In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, follow the scientific process that led to a revolutionary method for creating stem cells without the use of human embryos.	9-12	QuickTime Video
Super Salmon This video segment from FRONTLINE/NOVA: "Harvest of Fear" explores genetic modification of salmon and possible consequences.	9-12	QuickTime Video
Three Ways to Check a Fetus's Chromosomes This figure from Human Genetics: Concepts and Applications by Ricki Lewis identifies techniques used to collect cells from fetuses for genetic testing.	9-12	JPEG Image
Understanding Gene Testing In this article by the National Cancer Institute and the National Center for Human Genome Research, find answers to your questions about genetic testing.	9-12	PDF Document
Viewpoints: Harvest of Fear What do the experts say about genetically modified (GM) foods? Read these interview excerpts from the FRONTLINE/NOVA: "Harvest of Fear" Web site to find out.	9-12	HTML Document
Who Owns the Genome? This video segment from NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" examines the social and ethical implications of genome research.	9-12	QuickTime Video

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Topic: Genetics and Heredity